2019 Toyota Highlander Owner Complaints

The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while his wife was driving, the engine made an abnormal sound. While making a turn, the vehicle experienced a loss of motive power, slowly responded, and the transmission failed to shift properly. The traction control warning light illuminated prior to the failure, and the check engine warning light illuminated after the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle with transmission failure, and the contact was informed that the transmission required replacement. The vehicle was driven back to the residence. The contact stated that the vehicle was unsafe to drive due to the transmission failure. The failure mileage was approximately 84,820.

NHTSA ID

11775854

Incident

Oct 20, 2026

Mileage

84,820 mi

Transmission. I brought my 2019 Toyota Highlander to the Toyota dealer for an oil change. Reported a whirring sound when depressing the gas. After they inspected it, I was told it needs a new transmission. I don't know when it can malfunction when driving.

NHTSA ID

11775797

Incident

Nov 2, 2026

Whining in the transmission. Took to a certified Toyota Mechanic and confirmed transmission is failing. Will need a total transmission replacement.

NHTSA ID

11775159

Incident

Oct 1, 2026

The component that failed was the transmission. My safety was at risk because I was going uphill and the engine surged then the transmission seized, almost causing a rear-end incident with my family in the car. The dealer confirmed that the transmission has failed. No incident happened so only the dealer needs to be involved at this time. There were no warning lamps indicating to me that the transmission failed. Upon discovering that the transmission was not downshifting (based on the engine not downshifting uphill), I put the car into manual mode to determine if I could manually shift down or not, it would not downshift. Attempting to downshift to gears 4, 3, 2, or 1 was not possible, the lowest gear was gear 5 and the engine had no torque to get up the hill that it was seized on. The 2019 Toyota Highlander was serviced for the automatic transmission fluid at 100K miles and failed at about 120,450 miles.

NHTSA ID

11774232

Incident

Oct 18, 2026

My transmission failed while driving. The gears began to stick and then I lost all driving capability while on a state highway.

NHTSA ID

11773893

Incident

Oct 19, 2026

The transmission has been making a whining noise for a little while now. After having it diagnosed by Toyota, the entire transmission has to be replaced. According to multiple reports on the internet, the 8 speed transmission in the 2017 to 2026 model will fail prematurely do to defective components. Toyota has even replaced multiple model year transmissions under a specific TSB but has not included later model years. I know have to spend $10,500 to replace the transmission at Toyota.

NHTSA ID

11773877

Incident

Aug 1, 2026

Transmission is failing and accelerating past 40mpg produces very loud sound that seems it could break any moment. It is available for inspection. Safety is compromised as it could experience failure and abruptly lose ability to accelerate. Problem has been confirmed by independent service center who has also contacted Toyota Dealership regarding possible replacement and about the issue at hand. Has not yet been inspected by manufacturer, police, or insurance rep. No warnings and it first occurred June 2026 of this year. Contacted Toyota Brand Engagement Center and denied any assistance.

NHTSA ID

11773428

Incident

Jun 1, 2026

I was on interstate 75 and the transmission went out. I had to be towed home (over 100 miles). I pulled into a rest area and when I went to leave, I pulled out and the engine RPM's went real high and the car would not go over 20 MPH. I was in the way of semi-trucks as I tried to get back to a parking spot at the rest area. Thankfully This did not happen while driving. After getting to the repair shop they could not even steer the car. I want Toyota to help me with the cost of the repair. This car only has 85,000 miles on it and it is a 2019. It should be good for at least 200,000 miles. I feel very fortunate that I was not actually on the highway when this happened.

NHTSA ID

11773285

Incident

Oct 5, 2026

I purchased this Toyota Highlander two years ago, and I am extremely disappointed and frustrated that it now requires a transmission replacement costing approximately $10,000. I understand that vehicles can require maintenance and repairs, but a major mechanical failure of this magnitude is a significant financial burden. I have reached out multiple times seeking assistance and a reasonable resolution, but I have been unable to get anyone to take responsibility or offer meaningful help. I should not be left to shoulder such an enormous expense without a fair review of the circumstances. I am filing this complaint because I believe this matter deserves further investigation and I am requesting assistance in reaching a fair resolution.

NHTSA ID

11773178

Incident

Aug 3, 2026

Transmission is making a whining noise, took it to the dealer and they confirmed the transmission needs to be replaced. Looked online and there appear to be thousands of these cases with the transmission going out on Toyota Highlanders between 2017-2021

NHTSA ID

11772805

Incident

Oct 16, 2026

My husband was driving my car out of town, and while driving approximately 70 mph, my car stopped going. When he pressed the gas pedal, the engine revved, but did not move forward. He had to coast down the interstate and pull over on the side of the road. He said he almost got tear ended by a semi-truck. I called roadside assistance through my insurance company and it took them 2.5 hours to get to us. We had to have it towed about 70 miles to a shop and pay $184.00. The body shop we towed it to said it is the transmission. He said he knew it to be a common issue with 2019 Toyota Highlanders. I looked it up online and found several instances of similar stories. There was no warning.

NHTSA ID

11772661

Incident

Oct 19, 2026

The vehicle began making a whining noise several months ago. After doing some research this vehicle has the UA80 transaxle that has a known defect that produces the whining noise and eventual damage. There are other years of this vehicle that are subject to a recall/repair for this same transaxle issue, but not for the 2019 even though it's the same transaxle with the same assembly defect. This is a known issue by the manufacturer. The end result without repair will be a transaxle failure while in gear / loss of propulsion. This vehicle has not been taken to a dealer for inspection yet. If a request for inspection is made, the vehicle can be made available. Also, no warning lamps or messages gave any early indication of an issue, only a whining noise was noticed.

NHTSA ID

11772411

Incident

Nov 17, 2025

I started hearing a faint sound and initially thought it was odd, but certainly sounded different and could not really tell where it was coming from. Upon taking it to the dealer for diagnosis, I learned that the transmission will need full replacement. I also took it to an independent shop to get a second opinion and much to my dismay, they confirmed the same.

NHTSA ID

11772392

Incident

Oct 16, 2026

Car experiences pulling, squealing, and eventually just completely stopped in the middle of the road. Car is 7 years old w/ ~90k miles and was serviced at the dealership until the most recent inspection. Towed to nearest shop and transmission is shot. Similar to every other complaint listed online. Now being quoted ~$9k to repair/replace on a car worth ~$20k.

NHTSA ID

11772205

Incident

Oct 19, 2026

I am filing this complaint regarding a transmission failure in my 2019 Toyota Highlander at approximately 150,000 miles that resulted in a complete loss of propulsion while driving on the highway. My husband was driving to work toward River Forest, Illinois, when he initially noticed that the vehicle would not accelerate beyond approximately 60 mph. After attending practice, he decided to return home rather than continue to the office because of the vehicle’s performance. While driving home on the highway, the vehicle progressively lost the ability to maintain speed. Despite traveling at approximately 60 mph, the vehicle slowed to approximately 30 mph, then 20 mph, and eventually lost propulsion completely. This created a serious safety concern because the vehicle could no longer maintain highway speeds or continue driving normally, potentially exposing the driver and surrounding motorists to a collision. The vehicle was subsequently taken to an independent repair facility for evaluation, and a transmission failure is suspected. The estimated cost to replace the transmission is approximately $5,000 to $10,000. I contacted Toyota Corporate to report this failure and request assistance. Although a case number was assigned, Toyota representatives informed me that they would not escalate the concern without historical maintenance documentation. We purchased the vehicle in 2024 and do not have access to its complete maintenance history. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether this transmission failure and sudden loss of propulsion represent a broader safety defect affecting Toyota Highlander vehicles.

NHTSA ID

11771663

Incident

Sep 22, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, a loud grinding and humming sound was heard intermittently from underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a transmission failure and warned that the transmission could experience a complete failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The mechanic contacted the manufacturer, who confirmed that the VIN was not included in a recall. The manufacturer contacted the dealer on the contact's behalf; however, no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

NHTSA ID

11771372

Incident

Oct 15, 2025

Mileage

65,000 mi

My car is stalling and stopping while driving both slow speeds and high speeds and all displays are going off, it may restart after several attempts, it seems a serious safety problems, however my VIN is not part of original Toyota Fuel pump recall, however it seems my issue is also related to Fuel pump mall functions

NHTSA ID

11771327

Incident

Oct 8, 2026

Transmission had problems with shifting gears - can hear a banging noise while shifting gears. Reported to dealer and they indicated diagnostics report showed purge valve issues. Nothing showing transmission errors. 9/20/26 significant transmission Issues occurring with eco mode turning on and off problems with shifting and no power with RPM up to 5 let off gas pedal and eco shift then transmission accelerated. Problem repeated for 40 miles on Interstate 95 with family and animals. Engine lights finally come on stating AWD error traction control On and off visit dealer an 1/8 mile from Haley Toyota Richmond VA - $280 diagnostics show transmission failure, needs to be replaced for $12000 at 87K miles warranty expired no assistance offered and "0" transmissions available throughout the United States- - $470 out of pocket tow truck to get it to a local transmission shop in Waldorf MD 25 miles from home. Definitely a safety issue when there is no acceleration on a major highway and now error codes to indicate there is a major transmission problem!

NHTSA ID

11771267

Incident

Jul 23, 2026

While traveling east on [XXX] in [XXX] on Monday, XXX, the sunroof of my Toyota Highlander 2019 spontaneously shattered. There were four occupants in the car and we all heard what sounded like a gunshot or explosion. There were a few shards of glass that hit my daughter who was in the front passenger seat in the head and small pieces of glass throughout the car. I did not pull over on highway [XXX] because it is a one lane highway with minimal room on the shoulder. I immediately closed the sunshade and put my hazards on and drove about a quarter mile exited safely, pulled onto a side road, and called the police in [XXX]. There were a few pieces of glass that were flying off of the car and towards the car behind us, however, I believe they stayed back a bit because we did suddenly put our hazards on, and I don’t feel that their cars were impacted by the flying glass. No one in the car was physically injured however we were all shaken up. I did call the police because I wasn’t sure what to do and I had three [XXX] kids in the car with me and I needed to know we were safe where we were pulled over. At that time, I also called my husband and he contacted our insurance company to discuss options for repair and how to get three hours home with the car. We chose not to use roadside assistance. The officer followed us a short distance to ensure the glass was not flying out to cars behind us and we were able to safely drive. We drove to the local Walmart where we taped up the sunroof so that we could drive home. The drive home was about three hours and was very stressful as I was concerned about the sunroof and the safety of the three minors that were in the car with me. There were no warnings of the spontaneous shatter and the sunroof had no issues or malfunctions prior to the incident. In the photos attached there is a link to the YouTube video of the aftermath of the spontaneous shatter. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11771257

Incident

Oct 12, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that driving the vehicle lost power and failed to properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was an abnormal whining sound coming from the transmission and the vehicle lunged forward and unintendedly accelerated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact was informed that the transmission was on back order from the manufacturer. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 74,000.

NHTSA ID

11769592

Incident

Sep 24, 2026

Mileage

74,000 mi

While driving along, the car suddenly begun not too shift in the middle of an intersection. Fortunately for me, this occurred in the middle of the night when there were not many cars around, otherwise serious injury would likely have occurred since it was in a busy area. I had the car towed to an independent shop first who indicated that the problem was likely a transmission failure. I subsequently had it towed to the Toyota Dealership in Wilkes-Barre PA (Motor World), who confirmed it was complete failure of the transmission, with metallic particles circulating throughout its entirety. According to Toyota, the transmission fluid in this type of car is meant to last the life of the vehicle and regular flushes should not be required. Certainly this appears to not be the case. There were no warnings of obvious symptoms that I could appreciate as a lay person. Toyota is quoting me close to $9000 for the transmission replacement, and I am also currently incurring considerable expense from rental vehicles while I figure out the outcome.

NHTSA ID

11769486

Incident

Sep 26, 2026

The vehicle has a loud whining noise coming from the front of the car. The noise is only heard when I am pressing the accelerator but once I let off it goes away. I took the car into the dealership for inspection and was told it was the transmission that needs to be replaced. Toyota is refusing to assist with the repair because it is out of warranty. Even though they know this is a known issue.

NHTSA ID

11768514

Incident

Sep 28, 2026

Catastrophic mechanical transmission failure in 2019 Toyota Highlander. Diagnosed by Toyota dealership. Said to be the same issue as the recalls submitted for 2018 and 2021 Highlanders due to them having the same transmission

NHTSA ID

11768407

Incident

Oct 1, 2026

Vehicle engine is running rough and threatened to stall in traffic due to a failed low-pressure fuel pump. This model year is under a major fuel pump recall, but my VIN was excluded. The gauge isn't reading correctly either

NHTSA ID

11768396

Incident

Aug 31, 2026

I was driving on the highway and the car stopped allowing me to accelerate which almost caused major issues with an accident. I was luckily able to pull off and coast to a safe area to stop. No warning lights ever came on. It appears to be a transmission failure. I’m very lucky it didn’t occur 5 minutes prior. Currently at dealership for inspection.

NHTSA ID

11768266

Incident

Sep 30, 2026